Chapter 113: Movements in the Four Directions

Shanggu Commandery.

Charha sat before a campfire.

On the rack over the campfire, a chicken was being roasted until it sizzled with oil, emitting an enticing aroma.

Having grown accustomed to eating beef and mutton on the Grassland, he wanted a change of taste upon arriving in Yanzhou.

Beside him, two women of considerable beauty had disheveled hair, their clothes torn and ruined, unable to cover their entire bodies.

Not far from Charha, there were many other women who had been abducted.

The Northern Di Cavalry had used their Warhorses to form a circle, indulging in wanton pleasure inside; from time to time, the shrill cries of women could be heard from within.

"Hahaha..." Charha laughed wildly.

The bestial atmosphere stirred his desires, and he once again pressed the woman beside him beneath him.

On the other side, about ten meters away, there was another group of people who had been plundered.

These people were all men, ranging in age from six to under forty; those younger than this age, the little boys, and the elderly had all been slaughtered.

The elderly had no value, and the young were inconvenient to take away.

Among them were soldiers, craftsmen, scholars, and officials.

At this moment, they listened numbly to the tragic sounds coming from across the way, remaining indifferent.

"Cowards, a bunch of cowards!" a voice shouted.

This voice came from a cage on a carriage.

Inside, a young man in fine robes was roaring loudly, his eye sockets blood-red.

Yet no matter how he shouted, the able-bodied men who had been abducted remained indifferent.

Along this journey, anyone who dared to resist had died under the Curved Blades of the Northern Di.

After a moment, Charha stood up from the ground.

He picked up a roasted, fragrant pheasant and came before the young man.

While gnawing on the chicken meat, he said full of mockery: "Hahaha, scream all you want; it's useless. Compared to death, they would rather cling to life."

Placing the chicken in front of the young man, Charha pulled it away again, "Hehe, I didn't expect to catch such a big fish during this Autumn Hunt; your father will surely pay a high price to trade you back."

"Pah, don't even think about it!" The young man's eyes widened, and he spat at Charha, the spit landing right on Charha's roasted chicken.

Veins bulged on Charha's red face as he punched into the cage, striking the young man squarely in the abdomen.

The young man immediately felt excruciating pain, but he endured it without making a sound, though his face twisted in agony.

Charha was about to throw a second punch when suddenly a Northern Di Cavalryman came galloping from afar.

The Cavalryman stopped before Charha, dismounted, and said: "Lord Langlu, it is bad. The Great King fell into the Yan Wang's trap in Yancheng; the entire army has been wiped out. Please, my Lord, head to Yan Commandery immediately to protect the Great King."

"What did you say!" Charha grabbed the soldier by the collar, "Nonsense! How could our Northern Di Great Army lose to the Yan Wang?"

The soldier trembled and said, "It is absolutely true. Lord Langlu Muto's life or death is currently unknown, and another group of men has already gone to notify Lord Langlu Tamu."

Charha released the soldier, his eyes filled with rage.

Not long ago, he had received news to join forces with the Great King.

He had not expected this news to return after such a short time.

Upon hearing the news, the young man was stunned, murmuring: "The Yan Wang won a victory? How is that possible?"

Charha then roared: "Everyone, head to Yan Commandery immediately to rendezvous with the Great King; we are going to take revenge."

A Thousand-Man Commander heard this and said: "My Lord, what should we do with these plundered goods?"

Charha scanned the area, feeling reluctant to part with the items plundered from the three commanderies over the past few days.

Ever since entering Yan Commandery, plundering had become extremely easy.

What surprised him even more was that the Yuan Family's troops had not come to harass them at all this time.

Therefore, he had plundered more goods than in previous years.

Yet if he carried these goods, he would be unable to march quickly.

After thinking for a moment, he said: "Leave one thousand men to escort them; the others follow me."

Having said that,

he gathered his men and headed toward Yan Commandery.

Yancheng, General's Mansion.

Mo Di was reviewing the battle reports sent by the Scouts.

After the Northern Di Autumn Hunt, he had continuously sent out scouts into the Grassland to investigate, hoping to find a flaw in the defenses of the Black Iron Royal Tent.

But Kutu had not relaxed the guard of the Wangting; a large number of Cavalry and Servant Soldiers were guarding it, and he had no opportunity to launch a surprise attack.

"Father, there is good news." At this moment, a young general walked in excitedly.

He was Mo Di's youngest son, Mo Yu.

Ever since his father began guarding Yanguan, he had been by his father's side to gain experience.

Currently, he was a Captain among the Yanguan garrison, commanding five thousand men.

"What was that shouting just now?" Mo Di did not lift his head, but his voice was stern.

Mo Yu immediately realized something, his expression becoming solemn as he said loudly: "General, there is new military intelligence."

"Speak." Mo Di's words were indifferent.

"The Northern Di Cavalry that were plundering in Ping County have retreated. This subordinate captured a Northern Di prisoner; he said the Yan Wang won a great victory in Yancheng, and the Wangfu Army is searching for Kutu throughout the commandery. They are rushing to provide support."

For a moment, Mo Di thought he had misheard, and he asked again, "You said the Yan Wang won a great victory?"

"Yes, the Yan Wang won. Now Kutu only has a thousand or so remnants hiding here and there in Yan Commandery, and the Yan Wang's soldiers are hunting them down." Mo Yu's expression was excited, "This Yan Wang really has some substance."

Mo Di put down the battle report, his gaze wandering back and forth.

The Yuan Family troops watched the fire from across the river, and he assumed the losses in Yanzhou this time would be even more disastrous than in previous years.

But he did not expect such news to arrive in less than ten days.

He slammed his hand heavily onto the desk, "Someone come! Immediately dispatch eight thousand Cavalry to Yan Commandery to lend Yan Wang a helping hand. Furthermore, intensify the harassment of the Black Iron Royal Tent so they cannot pull themselves away to head south."

Mo Yu said in alarm, "Father, the Emperor strictly forbade Yanguan from participating in the Autumn Hunt and the encirclement, and this is the Yuan Family's duty to begin with. To act rashly—I fear the Yuan Family will submit a memorial to impeach you, and the Emperor will also be furious."

He said these words in his capacity as a son speaking to his father.

Mo Di laughed aloud, unconcerned, and said, "A general in the field is not bound by the orders of his sovereign."

Then, his smile gradually faded, "How long do you think Yan Wang can hold out? The Ningjin Battle back then buried the last of the Great Song's elite forces. Since then, the Great Song's military strength has been weak; today, it is not even as well-equipped as the private armies of the noble clans. Once the Northern Di are determined to head south, Yanguan will be hard to hold. As for this Yan Wang, I see he is somewhat different, and now that he has actually defeated Kutu, I hold him in even higher regard. For the sake of the country and the sovereign, I should help him."

Mo Yu nodded.

The Mo Family ancestral motto: Serve the country with absolute loyalty.

Every generation of Mo Family descendants has strictly adhered to this; no matter how the emperors in the court changed, the Mo Family has always been on the front lines guarding the territory of the Great Song.

Therefore, his father's decision to disregard his own reputation was ultimately for the sake of the Great Song.

"General, let this subordinate go," Mo Yu said, cupping his hands; he was currently only a Captain.

Mo Di hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded slowly, "Although the Northern Di have been defeated, they must not be underestimated. After meeting Yan Wang, you must obey Yan Wang's orders and cooperate with him to act as circumstances require."

Mo Yu nodded, acknowledged the order, and turned to leave.

Fanyang.

Upon learning that Yan Wang had achieved a great victory, Yuan Li's expression was exceptionally ugly.

"Yan Wang must not be allowed to live!" Yuan Li's chest heaved slightly.

He could have accepted a crushing defeat or a pyrrhic victory for Yan Wang.

But a great victory was something he could not tolerate; such a Yan Wang was like a sharp sword hanging over his head to his Yuan Family.

A trace of resolve appeared in his eyes.

He ordered someone to summon a retainer and whispered a few words to him.

The retainer nodded and turned to leave.